Improved feed-bag for horses or other animals



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WINDSOR B. WAIT, OF GREENWOOD, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND JOSEPH A.FAIRBANKS, OF MELROSE, MASSACHUSETTS.

-IMPROVED FEED-BVAG FOR HORSES OR OTHER ANIMALS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 37,262, dated December23, 1862.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WINDsoR BRUCE WATT, a citizen of the. United Statesof America, and a residentof Greenwood, in the county of Middlesex andState of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful or Improved Nose-Bag to be Used in Feeding a Horse or other Animal 5 and I do herebydeclare the saine to be fully described in the following specificationand represented in the accompanying drawings, ot' which- Figure 1 is aperspective elevation of it; Fig. 2, a top view, and Fig. 3 a transversesection, oi' it. Fig. 4 exhibits it as applied to the head of a horse.

With nose-bags as ordinarily constructed a horse, while feeding fromone, has frequently to throw up his head in order to gain access to thegrain within the bag. `The evil effects resulting from such are not onlya loss of mure or less of the grain which is liable to be ejected fromthe mouth ofthe bag, but an injection of more or less of the grain anddust therefrom into the nostrils of the animal. Such nase bags aregenerally suspended from the neck ot' the horse by means ot' aninelastic strap or neckband.

My improved nose-bag is intended by its construction and operation toavoid the abovementioned diiculties. For this purpose I not only make itwith a head-cap provided with air-inlets and an elastic mouth, but withan elastic hanger or its equivalent. The elastic mouth ofthe head-capcauses the latter to t closely and snugly about that part ofthe headofthe animal which may be encompassed by the mouth of the bag, and thusprevents loss of grain iu case the animal may throw up his head. Theair'inlets permit the entrance of fresh air into the bag and theejection of the breathedlair therefrom. The elastic hanger by itscontraction elevates the bag in proportion to the consumption of grain,and thus keeps the grain always within reach of the tongue of theanimal.

In the drawings, A denotes the body ofthe bag, which depends from ametallic hoop, B, to which a head-cap or tlange, G, is affixed. Thishead-cap is a iiat annulus, of cloth, leather, or some other suitablematerial having a like degree of flexibility. This head-cap has a monthor opening, D, which is bounded by an elastic hoop, belt, or band, a.Four or any other suitable number of air-inlets,bbb b, are made throughthe head-cap and next to the mouth and its elastic band, as shown inFig. 2. They are so arranged as to permit the expansion ofthe elasticband, and consequently the enlargement of the mouth of the bag, ascircumstances may require. The hanger or head-strap E, by which thenosebag is suspended from the neck of a horse, should be an elasticstrap. Elastic webbing may be used for it. Its contractile power whenthe bag is applied to a horse should be sufficient to draw the bagupward as the food within it may diminish, and to so do this as to keepthe food in proper contiguity with or inreach of the tongue of theanimal, in order that he may not be obliged to throw up his head tosupply himself with the food which may be in the bag.

A bag constructed as described, besides having advantages as abovestated, possesses another one of greatimportance-viz.,that of beingeasily folded or packed in a. small compass for transportation.

I claim as my invention- 1. The nose-bag as made either with thehead-cap provided with air-inlets I) b b b, or with the same and anelastic mouth arranged substantially as specilied.

2. The nose-bag as made with an elastic han ger, or its equivalent, andin other respects in manner and so to operate substantially ashereinbefore specified.

W. B. WAIT.

Witnesses:

R. H. EDDY, F. P. HALE, Jr.

